Pollution dust, heat, grey gravel asphalt
Fumes, horns, engines jammed for miles
Splintery bench, watery soup with salt
sweat box home cramped with tired smiles

Strip lights sauna stitching fingers
Grinding machines cutting tin saw the brain
Aches, brain burn all day lingers
Child’s laugh, partner’s tear, a touch bears the strain.

Lovely music jangles the senses,
Every fashion label grates the soul
The malls from the other reality are our defences
Ten million souls minced in the urban black hole